I have had D3 for few years, very happy wth it. I was planning for a trip to Kenya and wanted D800e to compliment my D3. But the trip was coming closer and closer and I had no hope of getting D800e. The D4 was available right away.So I got it.

This D4 performed as marvellously as expected from the flagship of Nikon.
I screwed it on my best lens, the best of Nikon, 400/2.8 VR. The D3 was hooked on the humble Sigma 120-300/2.8, the old non OS one.

I love to print big and to my surprise, D3+inferior lens gave easily equally as many first quality images as the D4+best of Nikon lens. I have been printing 16x28" ( the biggest I can) from these two combinations and have been equally happy with both.

Had I know this? I would have spend 1/3 of the money and got a used D3/s.
So now I keep the D3 and D4 and not even bother to think about the D800e.

It won't be long before NAS gets you.
Rent a D800 then order the D800e
You will soon realize that you need one

object88Registered: Aug 30, 2010Total Posts: 67Country: United States

"Well, it's one louder, isn't it?" -- Spinal Tap

(Sorry, I have nothing of actual value to contribute.)

BenVRegistered: Jan 01, 2008Total Posts: 8261Country: United States

so its safe to say you were expecting a huge difference in quality from 4 megapixels? The D4 is a step in the right direction, but its kinda silly to drop so much money on a camera and not knowing that the small mp bump won't make your prints look much (if any) better.

ChazRegistered: Mar 20, 2004Total Posts: 1400Country: United States

The D800E would become the gold standard for you, Bob, when you work on your large print landscapes. That's where it really shines - showing off wonderful detail in small things like leaves, flowers, grasses, etc. A couple of your regular jaunts into Yosemite will prove the point.

nugenyRegistered: Jan 22, 2004Total Posts: 6239Country: United States

BenV wrote:
so its safe to say you were expecting a huge difference in quality from 4 megapixels? The D4 is a step in the right direction, but its kinda silly to drop so much money on a camera and not knowing that the small mp bump won't make your prints look much (if any) better.

D4 was bought not as my first choice.But It wasn'/isn't just the pexel number alone, it is also the pixel quality and many other features of D4. As I said, my first choice was the d800e, about half the price of D4. Any way D4 is here and I will keep it along with D3.

nugenyRegistered: Jan 22, 2004Total Posts: 6239Country: United States

Chaz wrote:
The D800E would become the gold standard for you, Bob, when you work on your large print landscapes. That's where it really shines - showing off wonderful detail in small things like leaves, flowers, grasses, etc. A couple of your regular jaunts into Yosemite will prove the point.

So far I haven't seen d800/e. I bet when I got stung by its bug, it will be hard to resist. But for now D3+4 are doing great jobs. I first put d3 on sale, but changed my mind and will keep it I ber for ever alongside with d4 for wildlife.

sjmsRegistered: Mar 21, 2003Total Posts: 23860Country: United States

I decided to by a good back up generator for the home rather then a D800 whatever for awhile. A much more prudent investment.

nugenyRegistered: Jan 22, 2004Total Posts: 6239Country: United States

sjms wrote:
I decided to by a good back up generator for the home rather then a D800 whatever for awhile. A much more prudent investment.

Please, don't unless you have decided to live for another 100 years waiting for the next storm.

BenVRegistered: Jan 01, 2008Total Posts: 8261Country: United States

nugeny wrote:BenV wrote:
so its safe to say you were expecting a huge difference in quality from 4 megapixels? The D4 is a step in the right direction, but its kinda silly to drop so much money on a camera and not knowing that the small mp bump won't make your prints look much (if any) better.

D4 was bought not as my first choice.But It wasn'/isn't just the pexel number alone, it is also the pixel quality and many other features of D4. As I said, my first choice was the d800e, about half the price of D4. Any way D4 is here and I will keep it along with D3.

Why not sell the D3 for $2000, and spend an extra $500 and pick up a used D800? Maybe that's an option?

stedgeRegistered: Jul 14, 2006Total Posts: 920Country: United States

Hey, I'll trade my 800e for your D4 straight up! ;-)

Really, seems like you can still get bucks for your D4. Why not sell it, and for the $ you could get a D800/e and pocket some cash, or a second D3 AND a D800/e

sjmsRegistered: Mar 21, 2003Total Posts: 23860Country: United States

nugeny wrote:sjms wrote:
I decided to by a good back up generator for the home rather then a D800 whatever for awhile. A much more prudent investment.

Please, don't unless you have decided to live for another 100 years waiting for the next storm.

Every time I here that or similar statements I regret it as I have from last years statement on similar grounds. I'll spend a little for a bit of self reliability and the knowledge the next time it doesn't occur I'll be somewhat prepared. I am currently 7.5 days into no power and have a minor nor'easter coming tomorrow. It will be fun as my gen is only showing up Friday. Oh we'll.

I do feel I have my best interests in mind here. The gen I ordered will give me at least 30 or so and I can just about guarantee ill be using it more then ideally want to where I live.

Alan321Registered: Nov 07, 2005Total Posts: 10471Country: Australia

nugeny, I expect that you would like the D4 better than the D3 if you were really taking advantage of it. Things like superior AF in low light or at f/8 lens/TC combinations (e.g. 200-400 + 2x TC), or faster buffer clearance, or shooting a scene in which you need to capture greater dynamic range at the same ISO or can use a cleaner, lower ISO for the same DR, built-in sensor cleaning, etc.

If you cannot take advantage of the D4 then the D3 is hardly a bad camera to be using.
Sadly, even an iPhone could probably take some pictures better than either of the DSLRs; it all comes down to using the right camera for the job.

I'm certain that you would prefer the D800(E) results better than the D3 or D4 in some situations, but I'm equally sure that you would prefer the feel of the D4.

I chose to buy a D800E rather than a D4 primarily because I already had a very acceptable D3s for things that the D3s or D4 can do better. I will add that I much prefer the D3s images over the D700(=D3) images in the low-light conditions that I often shoot in.

With regards to prints, up to a point you'll see no advantage to the higher resolution of the D800 over the D4 because too much data is being scrapped in a small print. Then there'll be a range of sizes in which the extra detail can be seen at normal viewing distances, and then there'll be the really big prints that will not reveal extra detail at normal viewing distances because that normal distance is too great. At least you might see some extra detail if you choose to get closer than normal.

- Alan

nugenyRegistered: Jan 22, 2004Total Posts: 6239Country: United States

BenV wrote:nugeny wrote:BenV wrote:
so its safe to say you were expecting a huge difference in quality from 4 megapixels? The D4 is a step in the right direction, but its kinda silly to drop so much money on a camera and not knowing that the small mp bump won't make your prints look much (if any) better.

D4 was bought not as my first choice.But It wasn'/isn't just the pexel number alone, it is also the pixel quality and many other features of D4. As I said, my first choice was the d800e, about half the price of D4. Any way D4 is here and I will keep it along with D3.

Why not sell the D3 for $2000, and spend an extra $500 and pick up a used D800? Maybe that's an option?

That was my first plan: selling D3 and D7k to buy D800e. The D7k was sold, but after printing about a dozen big prints from Kenya, of both D4 and D3, i am really happy with both. So much so that I have decided to keep them both. Great together for wildlife and others. One day i may get D800e. But no hurry. i may wait for the next D8001!!

nugenyRegistered: Jan 22, 2004Total Posts: 6239Country: United States

Alan321 wrote:
nugeny, I expect that you would like the D4 better than the D3 if you were really taking advantage of it. Things like superior AF in low light or at f/8 lens/TC combinations (e.g. 200-400 + 2x TC), or faster buffer clearance, or shooting a scene in which you need to capture greater dynamic range at the same ISO or can use a cleaner, lower ISO for the same DR, built-in sensor cleaning, etc.

If you cannot take advantage of the D4 then the D3 is hardly a bad camera to be using.
Sadly, even an iPhone could probably take some pictures better than either of the DSLRs; it all comes down to using the right camera for the job.

I'm certain that you would prefer the D800(E) results better than the D3 or D4 in some situations, but I'm equally sure that you would prefer the feel of the D4.

I chose to buy a D800E rather than a D4 primarily because I already had a very acceptable D3s for things that the D3s or D4 can do better. I will add that I much prefer the D3s images over the D700(=D3) images in the low-light conditions that I often shoot in.

With regards to prints, up to a point you'll see no advantage to the higher resolution of the D800 over the D4 because too much data is being scrapped in a small print. Then there'll be a range of sizes in which the extra detail can be seen at normal viewing distances, and then there'll be the really big prints that will not reveal extra detail at normal viewing distances because that normal distance is too great. At least you might see some extra detail if you choose to get closer than normal.

- Alan

Alan, I am with you all the way. In two weeks i will be shooting eagles fishing,BIF... Some time will be low light, D4 will prove itself more than shooting the big 5 of Kenya. All the prints from Kenya are wildlife,no landscape nor closeups, So i really can't detect any difference in IQ of D4 and D3. Both are equally great. Print sizes: from 5x7 to 16x28".
Bob